Five-month-old Harlym Carter is a truly remarkable baby who has stunned doctors with her incredible progress despite being born with an uncommon condition called anophthalmia, which means she lacks one or both eyes.
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Despite this doctors can’t believe how well she is doing. Her mother, Allyanna Carter, 19, shared, “I was told she’d never be able to walk or talk – but she’s almost crawling and so talkative! She’s simply the best baby.”
At her routine 20-week scan, Harlym appeared perfectly healthy. It wasn’t until she was born on July 22 that her condition was discovered. The doctors initially thought her face was swollen, but they soon realized she had been born without eyes. This heartbreaking news was delivered to Allyanna’s mother, Kacie, 40, who had to break it to her daughter.
Despite the initial shock, Allyanna has shown unwavering love and dedication towards her daughter. Harlym has also been diagnosed with galactosemia and choanal atresia, leading to her needing to be fed through a tube. Furthermore, an underdeveloped left side of her brain was discovered after she had seizures, leading to a hemispherectomy surgery to disconnect the left side from the right. This has caused permanent weakness in the right side of her body.
Against all odds, Harlym is surpassing expectations. Her milestones include almost crawling, sitting upright, holding her head up, babbling, and drinking from a bottle. Allyanna joyfully shared, “Doctors didn’t think she’d have any type of brain activity, but she copies everything I do and she’s so happy. She loves everybody and laughs at everything.”
Despite the challenges, Allyanna remains optimistic about Harlym’s future. She plans to enroll her in a mainstream school and tries not to dwell on the experiences Harlym may miss out on.
Harlym’s story is a testament to the spirit and resilience that exists within all of us, proving that with love and support, incredible things can happen.
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